The Journal of Wound Care provides the latest evidence-based information and best practice procedures. Keep up-to-date on all aspects of wound care, including the prevention and treatment of wounds and associated skin conditions. All articles are peer-reviewed by an expert panel of advisors and reviewers, and include the latest state-of-the-art research and clinical practice articles. Subscribe now to make sure you receive the latest issue in newsstand as soon as it is published

A number of comparison studies feature in this month’s JWC, including an invitro experimental study on the comparative effects of hyaluronic acid-amino acid and polynucleotide mixtures on extracellular matrix gene expression in human dermal fibroblasts; patients with healed and non-healed wounds were retrospectively analysed to determine the cut-off value of regional tissue oxygen saturation as an indicator of wound healing during endovascular treatment for chronic limb-threatening ischaemia; patients with diabetes with stage 2/3 diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) were treated with either standard care or a novel antimicrobial wound dressing to compare safety and efficacy; and a retrospective analysis of real-world data compares Prontosan versus saline in hard-to-heal lower limb ulcers. The prevalence and associated factors of medical adhesive-related skin injury in intensive care is described; as is an evaluation of the long-term results of keloid treatment using surgery combined with postoperative radiotherapy. A retrospective study examines whether obstructive peripheral arterial disease can be a marker for coronary artery disease in patients with DFUs. The clinical outcomes with gelling fibre and silicone-coated foam dressings are the focus of a prospective, multicentre study, and a further prospective study in adult patients examines the incidence of nasogastric tube-related pressure injury in the intensive care unit. Photobiomodulation and electrostimulation for enhanced healing of hard-to-heal wounds is the subject of a literature review; and a meta-analysis examines the impact of advanced wound care methods on obstetric patients.

The North American Supplement includes an analysis of the barriers and facilitators to pressure injury prevention in acute care hospitals in Alberta, Canada are described; a risk factor analysis examines the potential reasons for readmissions within 90 days in patients with diabetic foot ulcers undergoing soft tissue reconstruction; and a prospective study evaluates the screening capabilities of BlueDop Vascular Expert, an artificial intelligence-driven diagnostic tool, in comparison to the ankle–brachial index.

In the online only Research Supplement, a systematic review and meta-analysis examines the efficacy of insulin application in skin wound healing; a prospective randomised study evaluates the effect of collagenase ointment versus silver sulfadiazine ointment on the healing of deep second-degree burns; an evaluation of acellular dermal matrix efficacy in immunocompromised patients’ wounds is described; a case report sets out the treatment of an unresponsive DFU with cold atmospheric plasma, maggot therapy and alginate dressing; and hard-to-heal DFUs feature in a pilot study examining the use of platelet-rich-fibrin repairing gel plus oral methylene blue in their treatment.